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ELDER SUICIDE IN NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded statewide surveillance system that
collects detailed information on deaths that occur in North Carolina resulting from violence: homicide, suicide,
unintentional firearm deaths, legal intervention, and deaths for which intent could not be determined. NC-VDRS is a
multi-source system that gathers information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law
enforcement reports. The goal of this system is to aid researchers, legislators, and community interest groups in the
development of public health prevention strategies to reduce violent deaths. NC-VDRS began collecting data in
January 2004. This document summarizes deaths among North Carolina residents ages 65 plus completing suicide
for the years 2008-2009.
• From 2008 to 2009, 425 elder North
Carolina residents died as a result of
violence. Of those, 350 were suicide-related.
• The elder suicide rate was 14.9 suicides
per 100,000.
• Eighty-four percent of elder suicides
were male compared to female (16%).
• The suicide rate peaked among males
85 and older, but all male age groups
were consistently higher than females.
• The peak for females was for those 85
and older.
• Overall, 83 percent of suicides involved
firearms, followed by poisoning (8 %) and
hanging/ strangulation/suffocation (7 %).
• Less than 3 percent of suicides were
accomplished using a method other than
firearms, poisoning or hanging.
Elder Suicide Method of Death:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
83
8 7
1 1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Firearm Poisoning Hanging Drowning Other*
Method of Death
Percent of Suicides
5.4
4.2 3.7
25.5
35.3
39.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
65-74
75-84
85+
Age
Rate per 100,000 N.C. population
Female Male
Elder Specific Suicide Rates by Age Groups:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
• Ninety-four percent of elder suicide victims were identified as white, with the remaining 6 percent
black, Asian and Amercian Indian.
• More than half (53 %) of elder male
suicide victims with circumstance
information were categorized as being
in a current depressed mood,
compared to 33 percent of females.
• Thirty-seven percent of all elder
males and 43 percent of elder females
had been characterized as having a
current mental health problem by a
medical professional.
• Twenty-seven percent of elder males
versus 14 percent of elder females had
a crisis within the last two weeks.
More information on suicide prevention efforts can be found at:
State Resource Partners
N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas
North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Contact: Krista Ragan, Child Death Investigator, 919-445-4414
www.ocme.unc.edu
The Triangle Consortium for Suicide Prevention
Contact: Phil Morse
www.trianglesuicideprevention.org
North Carolina Mental Health and Aging Coalition
www.med.unc.edu/aging/cgec/nc-mental-health-and-aging%20
National Resources
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
www.sprc.org
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
www.afsp.org
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(for suicide crisis calls)
1-800-273-8255
Elder Suicide Circumstances*:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
37
53
37
27 27
50
32
5
43
33 31
43
14
43
53
8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Current Depressed Mood
Current Mental Health Problem
Ever Treated for Mental Health
Crisis Within Two Weeks
Left a Suicide Note
Physical Health Problem
Disclosed Suicide Intent
History of Suicide Attempt(s)
Percent of Suicides
Male
Female
• Thirty-two percent of males and 31 percent of females had disclosed their intent to commit suicide to someone else.
*Among those with reported circumstances
NORTH CAROLINA INJURY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov 10/11
• Forty-three percent of females but only 27 percent of males left a suicide note.

ELDER SUICIDE IN NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded statewide surveillance system that
collects detailed information on deaths that occur in North Carolina resulting from violence: homicide, suicide,
unintentional firearm deaths, legal intervention, and deaths for which intent could not be determined. NC-VDRS is a
multi-source system that gathers information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law
enforcement reports. The goal of this system is to aid researchers, legislators, and community interest groups in the
development of public health prevention strategies to reduce violent deaths. NC-VDRS began collecting data in
January 2004. This document summarizes deaths among North Carolina residents ages 65 plus completing suicide
for the years 2008-2009.
• From 2008 to 2009, 425 elder North
Carolina residents died as a result of
violence. Of those, 350 were suicide-related.
• The elder suicide rate was 14.9 suicides
per 100,000.
• Eighty-four percent of elder suicides
were male compared to female (16%).
• The suicide rate peaked among males
85 and older, but all male age groups
were consistently higher than females.
• The peak for females was for those 85
and older.
• Overall, 83 percent of suicides involved
firearms, followed by poisoning (8 %) and
hanging/ strangulation/suffocation (7 %).
• Less than 3 percent of suicides were
accomplished using a method other than
firearms, poisoning or hanging.
Elder Suicide Method of Death:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
83
8 7
1 1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Firearm Poisoning Hanging Drowning Other*
Method of Death
Percent of Suicides
5.4
4.2 3.7
25.5
35.3
39.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
65-74
75-84
85+
Age
Rate per 100,000 N.C. population
Female Male
Elder Specific Suicide Rates by Age Groups:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
• Ninety-four percent of elder suicide victims were identified as white, with the remaining 6 percent
black, Asian and Amercian Indian.
• More than half (53 %) of elder male
suicide victims with circumstance
information were categorized as being
in a current depressed mood,
compared to 33 percent of females.
• Thirty-seven percent of all elder
males and 43 percent of elder females
had been characterized as having a
current mental health problem by a
medical professional.
• Twenty-seven percent of elder males
versus 14 percent of elder females had
a crisis within the last two weeks.
More information on suicide prevention efforts can be found at:
State Resource Partners
N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas
North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Contact: Krista Ragan, Child Death Investigator, 919-445-4414
www.ocme.unc.edu
The Triangle Consortium for Suicide Prevention
Contact: Phil Morse
www.trianglesuicideprevention.org
North Carolina Mental Health and Aging Coalition
www.med.unc.edu/aging/cgec/nc-mental-health-and-aging%20
National Resources
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
www.sprc.org
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
www.afsp.org
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(for suicide crisis calls)
1-800-273-8255
Elder Suicide Circumstances*:
NC-VDRS, 2008-2009
37
53
37
27 27
50
32
5
43
33 31
43
14
43
53
8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Current Depressed Mood
Current Mental Health Problem
Ever Treated for Mental Health
Crisis Within Two Weeks
Left a Suicide Note
Physical Health Problem
Disclosed Suicide Intent
History of Suicide Attempt(s)
Percent of Suicides
Male
Female
• Thirty-two percent of males and 31 percent of females had disclosed their intent to commit suicide to someone else.
*Among those with reported circumstances
NORTH CAROLINA INJURY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov 10/11
• Forty-three percent of females but only 27 percent of males left a suicide note.